Boondocks~~Teens No More

2) Special Agent H.Freeman

~•~

"Happy birthday dear Nakeem! Happy birthday to yooouuu!" Everyone sings as the birthday boy stares eagerly at his five candles. Jazmine puts a hand on the little boy's shoulder. He looks up at her with big brown eyes. The mulluto smiles. "Make a wish, baby."

Nakeem grins from ear to ear. He takes in an exaggerated deep breath and rids the five flames with one strong blow. Everybody applauds. "Oh yeah! Bring out the cake!" His Uncle Hiro shoves himself to the front and reaches for the knife. Jazmine slaps his hand away and glares at him. "The birthday boy gets the first slice, idiot."

The five year old looks up at the familiar faces. His mommy, his Aunty Cin, Aunty Ming, Aunt Tina, Uncle Scissor and Uncle Hiro. Then he glances at his best friend, Ty. Tyrone smiles at him. Nakeem forces a smile back. All these people here were comforting, but he still felt so unhappy. The doorbell rings, interrupting his thoughts. Jazmine sighs before placing the knife down, "I'll get it. Cin, can you cut the cake?" She straightens up and walks out of the living room. Nakeem watches sadly as Cindy cuts the piece and places it on the plastic plate in front of him.

"Guess what I found!" Jazmine walks back into the room. Everyone gasps as the tall figure walks up behind her, scowling like usual. He doesn't wear all black like mostly, instead he wears casual blue jeans and a t-shirt. He's handsome with the complexion of light chocolate and eyes like wine. The little boy jumps off his chair and runs into the man's open arms. "Daddy!"

A small smirk growls on Huey's lips. He picks up the boy in one sweep and throws him in the air, making him laugh with joy. "Happy birthday, Nakeem."

"My wish came true!" Nakeem says as he hugs Huey around the neck. Huey raises an eyebrow, "What wish?"

"I wished that you'd come home..." Nakeem burries his head in Huey's neck. Huey glances at Jazmine who has a small, sad smile on her face.

"Huey! My man!" Caesar says, going in for a dap. Huey daps him back with one arm, carring Nakeem in the other. "Good to see you."

Huey greets the others and catches up before the party continues. The whole time, Nakeem never leaves his father's side, often sitting next to him and hugging him every chance he gets. He was happy to have his father home.

~•~

Huey pulls the cover up to Nakeem's neck. Nakeem grabs his hand before Huey pulls away and hugs it to his chest. Huey sighs. "Nakeem, let go."

Nakeem only hugs tighter. "Can you tell me a story?"

"Once upon a time there was a boy who wouldn't sleep. The end."

Nakeem scowls at him.

Huey sighs. Nakeem's smarter than he looks. "Alright..." He sits on the edge of the bed and thinks. "Once upon a time there was a president named Ronald Reagan. He was an actor too."

"Really? He must've been amazing."

"Well he wasn't. He was the devil."

Nakeem shrinks. "Wh-What?"

Huey nods. "Yes. He was a very bad man."

"How do you know he was the devil?"

"His full name was made up of three combinations of six letters and that's the sign of the devil."

Nakeem frowns. "Dad. This story is scary."

"And educational." Huey pats his head. "Make sure to tell your friends. Good night, Nakeem." He stands up and walks to the door. Before he switches off the light, Nakeem says, "Dad?"

"Yes?"

"...will you go again?"

Huey looks at him for a moment. He presses his lips together and sighs. "Yes, but I'll let you know when." Nakeem looks down sadly and lies on his back without another word. Huey stares at his back before switching off the light and closing the door.

~•~

He walks to the master bedroom. Jazmine already sits under the covers with a book on her lap. Her curly strawberry hair is tied up and she wears no makeup; she never wears makeup. Jazmine looks up as Huey enters the room, closing the door behind him. She closes her book and places it on the nightstand. "Hey." Huey slides onto the bed next to her before pulling off his shirt and throwing it onto the floor. Jazmine finds herself staring at his muscles, Does he work out all the time? I wonder if the agency pushes him...

Huey just smirks at her before snapping his fingers. "Jazmine."

"Hm?" Jazmine shakes her head. She blushes. "I was just thinking of groceries."

"Right." Jazmine rolls her eyes at her husband's smirk. "You look beautiful."

"Whatever." Jazmine turns over her side and pulls the cover to her shoulders. Huey laughs, "Jazmine. I'm complimenting you." He pulls the cover back down to her waist.

"You know," Jazmine sits up again, turning to face him, "Ever since I gave birth to Nakeem, I feel like a balloon. I've even got stretch marks. Its disgusting." She shakes her head.

"You look good to me." Huey takes her hand and kisses the back of it before brushing her knuckles with his thumb. Jazmine stares at their intertwined hands in silence, "Huey...are you leaving again?"

Huey sighs. "Jazmine, you ask me that every time I come back."

"I know...I was just hoping your answer would be yes this time. I always am..." she whispers the last part. "Nakeem needs his father, Huey..." she looks up from their hands, "I need my partner."

"I am here for yall."

"Visiting once a month isn't being here for us, Huey Freeman," Jazmine snaps. Huey frowns, he didn't know how to react when Jazmine was upset.
"I already told you--"

"I'm not going there and raising my son around all that spy mess, Huey," Jazmine interrupts, "I want him raised normally. In society and not in secret, learning numbers and the alphabet, not learning how to program bombs and hack computers." Jazmine glares at him.

"Riley and Cass are doing it."

"Riley and Cass want to do it. In this case? You're the only one that wants to do it." Jazmine pulls her hand away from his. "Why do you stay there anyway? To be with Riley?"

Huey bites the inside of his cheek. Once his parents retire, that agency will be in his hands, his father already told him that. Riley hasn't finalised his decision, but Huey knows he's considering leaving that agency. If he does, Huey can't leave too. It has to be one of them. Either that, or Jazmine agrees to go with him.

But that's not going to happen anytime soon.

"I'm guessing that this isn't the right time to tell you that I'll have to run the A.C.L.O.J?" Huey says uncertainly.

Jazmine's jaw drops. "WHAT?"

"Jazmine--"

"That's it. I'm calling C.J."

"Are you kidding me?"

"Do I fucking look like I'm kidding you?" Jazmine's eyebrows shoot up. Huey just shakes his head. "You know what? Fine. I'll try to talk him into leaving the agency to Riley."

"You better, Freeman." Jazmine stretches her arm and switches off her lamp before pulling the covers up again and lying down. Huey shakes his head at her back. "Keep that attitude up and I'll make you sleep on the couch." Huey rolls his eyes before climbing under the duvet.

~•~